Myanmar on Monday offered an amnesty for some political prisoners after UN chief Ban Ki-moon demanded the release of key political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, to ensure "credible and legitimate" polls next year.
Myanmar's UN ambassador Than Swe said his government was preparing an amnesty for political prisoners on humanitarian grounds so they can contest next year's general elections.
"At the request of the (UN) Secretary General, the Myanmar government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds and with a view to enabling them to participate in the 2010 general elections," he told the Security Council. He gave no further details.
Ban welcomed the statement, telling reporters: "This is encouraging but I have to continue to follow up how they will implement all the issues raised during my visit to Myanmar."
He said that he was "not quite sure who will be included in the amnesty," but added, "I have made it quite clear that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should be released and free to participate in the elections."
Earlier Ban briefed the 15-member UN Security Council on his visit to military-ruled Myanmar early this month.
"The (Myanmar) government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections inclusive, free and fair and to take the necessary steps on my specific proposals in the very near future," the UN boss said.
He made it clear that for the poll to be viewed as fair, political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained members of her National League for Democracy (NLD), must be released and allowed to campaign freely.
"The choice for Myanmar's leaders in the coming days and weeks will be between meeting that responsibility in the interest of all concerned, or failing their own people and each one of you," he said.
"The world is now watching closely whether they will choose to act in the best interest of their country or ignore our concerns and expectations and the needs of their people."
In a conciliatory rejoinder, envoy Than Swe said his government "intends to implement all appropriate recommendations that the secretary general had proposed."
Earlier in his address to the council, Ban described the junta's refusal to allow him to meet with jailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "a deep disappointment but also a major lost opportunity for Myanmar."
The democracy activist, who faces an internationally condemned trial for violating the terms of her house arrest, has been either jailed or under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years since the junta refused to recognise her National League for Democracy's victory in Myanmar's last elections, in 1990.